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The BBC Trust appoints new director-general of the BBC

The BBC Trust, the governing body of the British Broadcasting Corporation, has appointed George Entwistle as the new director-general of the BBC for an annual salary of £450,000.

Entwistle has been with the BBC since 1989, when he joined as a broadcast journalism trainee. His most recent position was as director of BBC Vision, a role he has held since 2011. He will take over from current director-general, Mark Thompson, who announced his intention to leave the BBC in March.

Prior to 2001, Entwistle was the controller of knowledge commissioning and he has worked on some of the BBC's most high-profile programmes, including Panorama and Newsnight, of which he was the editor.

Lord Patten, chairman of the BBC Trust, said:

George is a creative leader for a creative organisation. His experience of making and delivering great programmes that audiences love – built up through many years of working for the corporation – will prove invaluable as he and his team work to ensure the BBC remains the greatest broadcaster in the world.

Above all, George is passionate about the BBC, is committed to its public service ethos and has a clear vision for how it can harness the creativity and commitment of its staff to continue to serve audiences in ever more innovative ways.

Entwistle said:

I’m delighted that the chairman and trustees have decided I’m the right person for the job. And I’m very excited about all that lies ahead. I love the BBC and it’s a privilege to be asked to lead it into the next stage of its creative life.

Thompson said:

I think this is a brilliant appointment. George has shown himself to be an outstanding leader with an intuitive understanding of public sector broadcasting. He has a formidable track record as a programme maker and in recent years has also shown his calibre as a leader. I wish him and the BBC every success in the years to come.

Patten added:

I once again want to pay tribute to Mark Thompson. His creativity, vision and leadership have made him an outstanding Director-General of the BBC and he will be sorely missed.